The music industry has been changed forever by digital file formats and the internet. Once an act would sell tapes of music by mail order and independent record shops in order to sign to a label, and then sit back and enjoy the groupies and Champagne. These days the biggest acts make all their money from touring, and record stores have all-but disappeared. It's never been harder to get rich from music, the sages say, but they don't often mention the converse benefit:

it's never been easier to share you music. And you can make a small amount of money from a variety of sources. There's no guarantee you can make a living from your musical compositions, but if people like your stuff you can ensure that you benefit.

In this feature we look at how to sell music online, both digital files and hard copies. We'll also show you how to make money from your music being played on YouTube, and to promote your music on SoundCloud.